More like a Question: Reading

[Marcus Baker]

I dont know where to put this post, but i have been wondering how wizzards learn to read or write. THey couldnt of gone to muggleschools or anything, cuz they dont know what a telephone is! Maybe the muggle born. But how bout ron? Was he thought at home?

[Hermione]

Wow- that's a good question! I've never thought of that myself . . . well, I think there have always been Muggles in the Wizarding world . . . they probably spread literacy to the wizards. Or maybe the Wizarding world sent out ambassador-type people to learn how to read and write, then brought them back to teach other wizards and witches?

[Scellanis]

How do you know that there aren't wizard primary schools...wizards and witches would have to learn to read to do spells and stuff wouldn't they...

they probably do either do home teaching or some kind of private schooling....i can see malfoy for instance paying for a teacher to tutor draco....

[Liquid Ice]

I never thought of that one either......they could have wizard primary schools I spose, but I somehow I think JK would have mentioned that.....maybe sometimes their parents teach them, though I cant see that with all of them.

[Mint]

I think they learn it from their parents.

By the way how old r u when u go to first grade in US and UK?

[Liquid Ice]

In the UK you dont have grades. When your 4 you go to 'reception' which is still a school year, I dunno why they call it that. Then you have year 1, 2, 3, 4 etc.

[Mint]

Do u have 12 grades like US does? So if u start at 5 ur first grade then u must be...eh...16?

In Ukraine and Russia - u start when u r 7, but u finished at 16 because there are 10 grades in there.
In US u r done at 18....

But anyway, I thought that may be Harry didn't have that much difference from when regular school starts its first grade....but I guess he did. If it starts at 5 - he missed 6 years..

[Gwared]

In the UK you start school when you are four, I believe, if you will be 5 in that school year (Sep 1st-Aug 31st following year). You cannot leave school until you are 16 after your GCSE's.

The system is weird as at 16 you are said to be in your fifth year, and 17 and 18 are referred to as lower sixth and upper sixth years!?

[Liquid Ice]

It is a strange system, but there you go and you get used to it easily enough.

[Scellanis]

no gwared...thats just the english and welsh system...

the scottish system is much easier

we start school at 4 like you said, 7 years of primary school, then secondry school which is split into 1st and 2nd year, then you have 3rd and 4th year that are the standard grades and then you can leave school or go onto higher (5th year), then you can leave school again or stay on to do advanced higher (6th year) eventually leaving when you are 18

[Mint]

that was totally confusing.......

what do u mean by advanced years? College?.....

[Liquid Ice]

Im not sure I get the scottish system either.....its probably just cos im used to the english/welsh system.

[Scellanis]

no....

its like

1st + 2nd year - boring get to know the subjects

3rd+4th year - standard grade (equivalent to GCSE)

5th year - Higher still (used to be called Higher, they changed it for my year)(not quite equivalent to A-level)

6th year- Advanced Higher (used to be called Sixth Year Studies but they changed the name when they changed the Higher courses into Higher Stills...) (this is better than an A-level)

because highers arent quite as good as A-levels but Advanced highers are better than A-levels this is why universities get sooo confused when people try to cross the border to study....

[Liquid Ice]

1st + 2nd year - boring get to know the subjects

3rd+4th year - standard grade (equivalent to GCSE)

I think thats like secondry school isnt it? But we have a year in the middle where you do SATs. Maybe thats not right....Im just confused.....

[Jotomicron]

In Portugal, the system is the folowing:

We have the basic (1st to 9th) and secundary (10th to 12th)

1st to 4th year is called primary school (from 6 to 9 years old)
5th and 6th are called prepratória
7th to 9th (I think it has no name)
~until here, the school compulsory.
Then comes the 10th, 11th and 12th, the secundary school. supposely, you finnish school at 17. Then comes University...